Page 1 (six panels)
Panel 1
A half moon hangs in the night sky over a wide alley between two large brick buildings.
No dialogue
Caption: Solemn Dove City
SFX:
Baaang! Baaangg!
Panel 2
A panicked young African American man, about 18 years old, runs down the alley. His brown skin is bruised and the corner of his mouth is running with fresh blood. He wears an open plaid button-up shirt with a bloodstained white t-shirt showing and torn black designer jeans and sneakers. His hair is braided. He clutches a cell phone in his right hand. Two bullets fly past; one narrowly missing his shoulder and the other hitting the wall, close to his head. This young man is ROWAN PHOENIX.
ROWAN PHOENIX:
Ha…. Ha… (panting)
SFX:
Ping! Pssshoww!
Panel 3
The young man is still running and looks over his shoulder at the four men pursuing him. The figures are silhouetted in the dim light of the alley and they are at a fair distance from their quarry but they are obviously larger men with guns. The light from one discharging weapon is seen down the alleyway in the center of the small group.
THUG 1:
Get ‘em! Get ‘em before he makes it across the next street!
Panel 4
The young man is now facing straight ahead where an open street is has come into view with light flooding the end of the alleyway; apparently headlights of an oncoming vehicle.
No dialogue
SFX:
Hrrrrrooomm
Panel 5
A long burgundy car comes to a screeching to a halt directly in front of the alley as the young man approaches.
No Dialogue
SFX:
Scccreeeech!
Panel 6
The passenger side door pops open. A handsome, slightly older black man (early 20s) is seen at the wheel inside the vehicle, leaning over passenger’s seat and beckoning the other young man forward. This man wears a red jacket and blue jeans, his hair is cut low but he shares some resemblance to the young man being pursued. The driver is JOSIAH ANASTAS PHOENIX.
JOSIAH PHOENIX:
Hurry! Get in!
Page 2 (six panels)
Panel 1
Rowan ducks into the car pulling the door closed behind him. Bullets bounce off of the top of the door and off of the rear door and hood.
No dialogue
SFX:
Ping! Punk! Ping!
Panel 2
Rowan’s pursuers come into view, running to the end of the alley and still firing as the car speeds off. The four men can now be seen more clearly. All of them wear dark suits and carry variant automatic and semiautomatic pistols.
No dialogue
SFX:
Vrrroooom!
Panel 3
The four men are now standing in the middle of the street, watching the red lights from the car’s taillights fade off into the night. The two men standing at the head of the group are glaring sideways at each other. All four men appear to be strong in stature and broad shouldered. The largest man at the rear of the group is bronzed skinned with a thick connecting beard and mustache. His face is more rounded than the others, his eyes are dark and his braided dark hair is tied back.
THUG 1: Where’d you learn how to shoot?!
THUG 2: From icing punks like you! Obviously, you missed too!
Panel 4
The larger man, named ARMAND, is pulling a cell phone from his inner suit jacket pocket. His eyes glower ahead and his brow is creased into a deep frown. His finger is still set on the trigger of his automatic pistol, which rests in his hand hanging at his side.
ARMAND: Shut up! The both of you!
Panel 5
Armand now has the phone pressed to his ear. His face still twisted with annoyance and rage.
ARMAND: Sir, the scab got away but we’ll continue our pursuit shor--
Panel 6
The other three men are facing the larger man, Armand, who appears to be the leader of the group as he speaks on the phone. A blinking street lamp is seen hanging from above casting an odd glare on the men in the street below.
VOICE ON THE PHONE: Don’t bother, Armand. Return to me. I’ll deal with Phoenix myself.
Page 3 (five panels)
Panel 1
Josiah’s burgundy car is seen making a sharp turn, speeding around a street corner. The streets appear empty. Only the light from the street lamps and shadows from the windows of the passing structures may be seen.
JOSIAH (from within the vehicle):
What were you thinking, Rowan?!
SFX:
Scrrreeeeiiik!
Panel 2
Josiah is at the wheel with his eyes straight ahead, clearly annoyed. Rowan sits on the passenger’s side. His arms are folded across his chest and his jaw is clenched, mirroring his brother’s annoyance.
JOSIAH:
What did you think you were going to accomplish by going to those guys on your own?
ROWAN:
I was thinking I would go directly to the man himself and tell him I was done working for him… It’s not like you would have been there to hold my hand anyway…
Panel 3
Josiah now has his head turned toward his brother, slightly angrier. Copy Panel 2.
ROWAN:
You’re too busy sitting on your knees at that church!
JOSIAH:
Well, with Mom gone and Dad never around, God is the only one looking out for us!
ROWAN:
It should be you looking out for us!! And if there were a God, then Mom would still be alive!
Panel 4
The tires of the vehicle are shown coming to sudden halt.
No dialogue
SFX:
Ssssccreeeeeech!
Panel 5
Josiah is glaring and screaming right into his brother’s face now and gripping the collar of his white t-shirt with one hand. Rowan stares back defiantly but shows no sign of moving to defend himself.
JOSIAH:
You shut up right now! If Mom could hear you talking like this…
ROWAN:
Mom is dead and I made good on my word to leave the streets tonight, but what about you?
Page 4 (six panels)
Panel 1
A close-up of Rowan’s angered face now as he looks into his brother’s eyes, matching his rage.
ROWAN:
You try to make yourself look like a saint but the only thing you want in that church is the pastor’s daughter!
Panel 2
Josiah’s brown eyes are burning now with an orange light. Small flames are sprouting on the hand that grips his brother’s shirt
JOSIAH:
I said SHUT UP! You don’t know anything! That’s why you’re a blasphemous fool who almost got killed tonight!
Panel 3
Rowan stares down at the flames that have now enveloped his brother’s hand like a gauntlet but appear to not even burn his own skin or clothes. He seems a bit more resigned but still angry.
ROWAN:
So what? Are you going to be the one to finish it then?
Panel 4
Copy Panel 3. Rowan has fixed his gaze back on his brother’s face.
ROWAN:
You’ve always been scared to use those powers before, but now you’re going to use them on the only family you have left, that you promised to protect?
Panel 5
The flames around Josiah’s hand have receded to small sparks now. The glare in his eyes has faded and he appears more irritated than infuriated now. He shoves his brother back into his seat.
JOSIAH:
Just because I’m cursed doesn’t make me a monster. And I’m your keeper, you idiot, not your executioner…
SFX:
Fwwoosh
Panel 6
The car is shown driving off again, leaving the empty street behind.
Page 5 (five panels)
Panel 1
Midnight. The outside of a one-story tan house is shown. It is surrounded by trees on either side. Only the single door, two windows and a small porch can be seen.
Caption:
The Phoenix Residence
ROWAN (OP, from within the house): If you’d been with me when I called you the first time you could have used your powers to help me before those guys tried to kick my face in.
Panel 2
Josiah stands at the center of a living room with a duffle bag hanging over one shoulder. He is looking off down a hallway. The only light in the hallway comes from a single open doorway off to the side. The living room is barely decorated, mostly just pictures hanging on the walls. A single couch sits up against the wall behind Josiah. A small table with a few framed pictures sits right beside the couch. A large television is positioned across the room directly across from the couch.
JOSIAH:
We’ve been through this a million times before. These powers can’t help anyone, Ro. I can barely create a large enough flame, let alone control it. You might as well drop it.
Panel 3
Rowan stands in front of a bathroom sink looking into the mirror above it as he tends to the cuts on his face with a cotton ball.
ROWAN:
You could have roasted them before they had the chance to go Wild West and ape crazy on my a--
JOSIAH (off-panel):
Hurry up so we can get out of here before they catch up to us! I’m sure they already know where we live…
Panel 4
Josiah still stands in the middle of the living room. His hands are clenched into fists as he stares across the room at a one of the pictures on the small table near the couch.
JOSIAH (thought):
Even if I did use my powers just to fight I wouldn’t be any better than the trash that runs the streets of Solemn Dove now…
Panel 5
The picture that Josiah stares at is shown on the polished wood table top. In the picture a beautiful black woman with long dark hair tied into a bun, Josiah’s mother, stands smiling with her arms around two grinning boys, the young Josiah and Rowan.
JOSIAH (OP, thought):
But you always told me that it was okay to fight for something, as long as it was true to who I was… I just don’t know, though…